“Mutual respect is critical to the relationship between players and media in the NBA,” said Joe Dumars, NBA Executive Vice President and Head of Basketball Operations. “While we understand that Joel was offended by the personal nature of the reporter’s original version of the column, the interaction on both sides must remain professional and should never become physical.”

“The moment Joel realized he was there, he started getting verbally back and forth. Obviously, we can’t repeat many of the words said on this show. The gist of it was basically: ‘You can say I’m bad, you can say whatever you want about me as a player. Never put my dead brother’s name in your mouth. Don’t talk about my family. Don’t involve them in this. You want to talk to me like a man and talk about basketball, that’s different, but if you ever talk about my family again, we’re going to be in real trouble.”

“They’re kind of going back and forth and at some point, let’s say 90 seconds to two minutes of back and forth, Joel shoves him. Team security intervenes. Players kind of surround the situation and everyone scatters a little.”

Joel Embiid consistently points to the birth of his son, Arthur, as the major turning point in his basketball career. He often says that he wants to be great to leave a legacy for the boy named after his little brother, who tragically died in a car accident when Embiid was in his first year as a 76er.

“Well, to be good at your job, you have to show up to work first. Embiid was great at the exact opposite. Now, in his eleventh season, he is consistently in bad shape. This bad shape apparently seems to have his debut this season postponed.”

“If your body doesn’t respond well and if your body tells you one thing: I did it. As far as I can tell you, I broke my face twice, I came back early at the risk of losing my sight, had broken fingers, and I still came back. So I’m not going to sit here and say, I see people saying, ‘He doesn’t want to play.’ I’ve done way too much for this city, and I risked people saying that. I really think they’re bulls***.

“Like that guy, he’s not here, Marcus. Whatever his name, I’ve done way too much to let this damn city treat me like this. Done way too damn much. I wish I was as lucky as others, but that doesn’t mean I don’t try my best and do what it takes to be there, which I soon will be.